EU Market Surveillance Regulation – a premiere for online traders

Online trade is booming. E-commerce makes it possible for us to purchase almost any product imaginable from anywhere. To meet the ever-growing demand, supply chains are becoming more complex and global. Against this background, Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 of 20 June 2019 on market surveillance and the conformity of products has been revised.

From 16 July 2021, this novelty will be binding in all EU Member States: Almost all products covered by a CE Directive may only be offered for sale if there is a responsible economic operator in the European Union. ? New: A fulfilment service provider based in the EU who handles products for the manufacturer also counts as an economic operator, provided no other economic operator is established in the Union.

Premiere for the e-commerce

In addition to the new definition of a responsible economic operator in the EU, the term "placing on the market" or "making available" of a product for online platforms is also specified. To this end, the new regulation stipulates that offering a product on the internet to end users is already considered as making it available on the market. The online offering of goods is thus equated with the sale of a product by the stationary trade. This means that an internet provider established in the community becomes an importer if he offers goods from a third country on the community market. You can read about the obligations for an importer and, if applicable, fulfilment service provider resulting from the new Market Surveillance Regulation here.

Please read the Market Surveillance Regulation here.